Principal Engineer Mechanical

Company: Birmingham Waters Works
Location: Birmingham
Posted on: April 29, 2025

Job Description:

Job Information
Job Title: Principal Engineer/Mechanical
Department: Engineering
Reporting Relationship: Chief Engineer
FLSA Status: Exempt
Grade: N

General Responsibilities
Perform professional mechanical design and engineering for capital construction and maintenance projects on motors, pumps, PRV stations, reservoirs, plants and other organization's facilities and equipment; research and plan future waterworks system and facility requirements.
Perform project work, including a variety of professional mechanical water treatment process work in designing, planning and overseeing construction, installation, operation and maintenance of a variety of projects, including but not limited to liquid storage structures, bridges, piping, dams, retaining structures, pumping stations, water treatment plants and appurtenant structures, including site and roadway layout and design. Establish design criteria, perform design calculations and write specifications, contracts, construction management and project management. Review shop drawings and respond to RFIs, etc. Plan, coordinate, administer and supervise an assigned engineering area's personnel and operational activities.
Responsible for the overall management of a comprehensive asset management program, including updating equipment data and predictive maintenance programs in CMMS (SAP). Develop, recommend, and implement strategies for optimizing work quality and best practices. Participate in the planning and budgetary process to identify critical assets needing replacement/upgrades.
Essential Job Functions

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• Perform detailed mechanical engineering for capital construction and maintenance projects on pumping stations, filter plants, storage facilities, reservoirs and other water works facilities and equipment; research and plan future system and facilities mechanical requirements. Coordinate closely with the departments to identify, prioritize and resolve reliability and quality issues.
  
• Coordinate repair history analysis and recommend re-engineering, upgrades and replacements.
  
• Assist in repair and replacement decisions of major equipment and in judgments of extending maintenance intervals by analyzing reliability & performance data.
  
• Review engineering specifications and design modification proposals to improve cost and performance requirements reliability.
  
• Develop and implement condition monitoring programs to prevent premature failure of critical equipment and systems.
  
• Ensures all plant equipment has a maintenance plan on file that matches the expected failure modes.
  
• Design and provide project management of various projects such as liquid storage structures, pump stations, pressure-reducing stations, water mains and other water mechanical process improvements.
  
• Prepare contract specifications and bid documents.
  
• Perform bid openings, prepare bid tabulation and make recommendations for the award; review product submittals for compliance with appropriate standards.
  
• Plan, coordinate, assign, train, review, and evaluate the work of other professionals, consulting engineers and technical personnel.
  
• Carry out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Ensure all Organizational policies and guidelines are adhered to and administered correctly, including the HR Management Guide, Employee Handbook, reviewing and approving timesheets, expense reports, complying with applicable employment laws, purchasing guidelines, bid law, etc.
  
  Essential Job Functions Con't
  
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  • Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
    
  • Champion, model, and administer a performance-oriented culture by demonstrating strong leadership and people development skills. Seek to develop and monitor key performance measurements and develop/support a work environment that develops, recognizes, holds accountable, and rewards talent to support employee engagement and meet current and future workforce needs.
    
  • Responsible for demonstrating the Organization's Core Values and using performance management principles to continuously improve the department and organization's effectiveness, efficiency, products, and services. This includes but is not limited to participating in improvement teams, recommending and implementing improvement ideas, and participating in training and other activities to keep current on processes, information, etc.
    
  • Champion and ensure the administration of safe work practices and operations.
    
  • Maintains and protects sensitive and private information by keeping employee records confidential in accordance with HIPAA, local, state and federal laws and regulations.
    
  • Perform all work safely in accordance with established safety policies and procedures. Comply with all safety and health standards and guidelines issued by management.
    
  • Perform other duties as assigned.
    
    Education
    Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from an accredited University required. Advanced degree preferred.
    Experience
    Ten (10) years of experience in mechanical process engineering, maintenance, reliability, and quality required; two (2)years in a supervisory or project team lead capacity.
    Expert knowledge and experience with BWW system operations, including mapping, records, worksheets, gradients, customer service, warehousing, meters and metering, pumping stations, PRVs, DMA's, treatment plants, storage tanks, system division valves, etc. Experience in quality programs and applications such as six sigma, lean systems, quality assurance, and quality control inspection. Expert knowledge and experience managing multi-million-dollar water utility or related capital improvement and O&M cost programs. Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Project).Strong analytical, project management and communication skills.
    Supervision
    2-6 employees
    Physical Demands
    
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    • Ability to stand, walk or sit for extended periods
      
    • Reaching by excreting hand(s) or arms(s) in any direction
      
    • Finger dexterity is required to manipulate objects with fingers rather than with whole hand(s) or arm(s), for example, using a keyboard
      
    • Walking various distances in varying terrain 70% of the time.
      
    • Bending, stooping, climbing, etc., to accomplish surveying tasks.
      
    • Communication skills using the spoken word
      
    • Ability to see within normal parameters
      
    • Ability to hear within normal parameters
      
    • Ability to move about significantly on construction sites, climb ladders and ladderways
      
    • Ability to lift 25 pounds
      
      Work Environment
      
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      • Moderate noise (business office); loud noise visiting worksites in proximity to construction work
        
      • Work indoors and outdoors, exposed to extreme hot/cold/wet weather conditions and hazardous chemicals.
        
      • Field work inspecting facilities or industrial plants.
        
        Benefits:
        
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        • Health, Dental and Vision Coverage: The Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) offers full-time employees a comprehensive health care package, which includes a medical, dental and vision plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS).
          
        • Retirement Plan: The BWWB provides a defined benefit pension plan. Participation is mandatory, and employees con­tribute a percentage of their gross biweekly income. The retirement income you will receive from the plan will be determined by a formula based on your years of service and final average earnings. It is important to note that any Social Security Benefits to which you become entitled are in addition to your retirement income from the plan.
          
        • Higher education assistance: The BWWB supports the continuous development of its employees through its Education and Assis­tance Program. The program allows eligible full-time employees to enroll in accredited degree programs or credit hour courses ac universities, colleges, community colleges, technical and trades schools and receive financial assistance for tuition, required fees and books. To receive reimbursement under this program, regular full-time employees must have successfully completed their 180-day introductory period when the course is submitted for pre-approval.
          
          
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Keywords: Birmingham Waters Works, Tuscaloosa , Principal Engineer Mechanical, Education / Teaching , Birmingham, Alabama